Buncombe County News

This news item expired on 8/31/2014, so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.

Seen a Wild Turkey? Wildlife Commission Wants to Know

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is seeking public assistance in reporting observations of wild turkeys this summer.

Through August 31, wild turkey sightings by volunteers and Wildlife Commission staff can be recorded and entered into an online database. The information gives an indication of annual wild turkey productivity, gobbler carryover and other population trends – all of which help the Commission manage the state’s turkey population.

Before the 1970s, wild turkeys were scarce in North Carolina, with only about 2,000 birds statewide. Today, there are more than 260,000 birds from the mountains to the coast, and wild turkeys are one of North Carolina’s most popular game animals.

Survey summaries are made available on the Wildlife Commission’s wild turkey webpage, turkey hunting results in North Carolina may also be found online.

For more information or to participate in the wild turkey summer observation survey, contact Myers at 919-218-3376 or email ryan.myers@ncwildlife.org.